Object of desire: the world's most expensive smartphone revealed

British luxury designer Stuart Hughes has created a £10 million, solid-gold bodied, diamond-encrusted iPhone 5. Sapphire glass is used to create body armor and only a diamond is stronger or more resistant.

The phone, which underneath its special shell, is no different from any iPhone in terms of hardware components, was commissioned by an unnamed Chinese businessman as his regular day-to-day handset. Called the Black Diamond because it features a 24-ct black diamond where the home key should be; it also has a solid gold chassis. If that wasn't enough, it is decorated with what Hughes says are 600 flawless white diamonds set in gold on the back panel, while the Apple logo, now in solid gold takes on a three-dimensional quality and has also been enhanced by the addition of a further 53 diamonds.

One other notable difference, and one that could soon become a reality on all smartphones, is the use of sapphire glass rather than the standard Gorilla Glass to cover the iPhone's display. Sapphire glass is used to create body armor and only a diamond is stronger or more resistant. However, at current prices, a sheet of such glass costs 10 times more than Gorilla Glass.

Apple iPhone Black Diamond. Photo: AFP/Stuart Hughes

Although this was a commission, Hughes is more than happy to produce another Black Diamond, if a consumer has £10 million (US$ 15 million) to spare.